Storm Lake High School in Storm Lake, Iowa, exemplifies diversity.

Much has been written about the racial and ethnic diversity in the district, in which over 75% of enrollees are students of color, creating a diverse majority in the high school. The students who call SLHS home not only embrace the cultural diversity they see and hear everyday in their halls, but they also see it as an advantage as they learn and prepare for life after high school. However, they also define "diversity" in their high school much more broadly.

 

Interviews with over 50 students at SLHS revealed "diversity" means much more to them than race and language and country of origin. To those who attend one of Iowa's most diverse high schools, "diversity" manifests itself in immigration stories, the make up of families, the necessity of work, passions and political points of view, and in the ways they dream about and plan their futures.

 

Yes, SLHS is "diverse" by census standards, but according to the students who attend, it is diverse in many other ways as well. The stories in this project celebrate their broad definition of diversity and allow SLHS students to define their school themselves.

 

Use the navigation bar at the top to meet SLHS students, experience their stories and allow them to declare, "We are SLHS" through their diversity, immigration, family, work, passions, politics and dreams.